Sawtooth Mountain Clinic finalizes plan to keep pharmacy services in Cook County

Sawtooth Mountain Clinic announced today it has reached an agreement with Essentia Health Pharmacy Services to have prescriptions filled and delivered to patients in Cook County.  Deliveries will come one of two ways – either via mail delivery directly to patients’ postal mailboxes or weekday courier delivery to Sawtooth Mountain Clinic beginning later this week.

“We are delighted to be able to announce this important agreement with Essentia Health Pharmacy Services to provide service to patients in Cook County while we continue the build out of our own on-site full-service pharmacy,” Sawtooth Mountain Clinic CEO Kate Surbaugh said in a press release sent to WTIP. “While patients have many mail order options for prescriptions, our partnership with Essentia Health allows us to offer our Sliding Fee Scale program through both mail order and courier delivery.”  

Sawtooth Mountain Clinic recommends that most patients have their prescriptions filled by Essentia Health Pharmacy Services with mail delivery from the USPS.  This will allow patients to receive their prescriptions conveniently in their own postal mailbox at no extra cost.  Patients who want to set up either mail or courier service should call Sawtooth Mountain Clinic for more information at 218-387-2330.

"We ask that people be patient as we set up the new system and deal with the anticipated back-log of requests.  If your prescription needs are not imminent, please wait a few days before you contact us,” Surbaugh said.

Sawtooth Mountain Clinic is recommending the courier service of prescriptions from Essentia Health-Silver Bay Pharmacy be for those patients with special requirements or who need extra help. The courier service will run Monday through Friday arriving at Sawtooth Mountain Clinic at approximately 2pm.  Staff will be available in the SMC Atrium from 10am – 5pm weekdays to distribute couriered prescriptions.  

Earlier this year, Sawtooth Mountain Clinic announced plans to open its own full-service on-site pharmacy located at the SMC facility.  The build out for the new SMC pharmacy site is currently underway with plans to open in January 2021.